The elderly copywriter's guide to modern slang
There may come a time when you’ll need to masquerade as a youngster for the sake of a copy job.
We’ve all been there.
Unfortunately, Gen Z can spot a faker a mile off.
I’m on the cusp of being too old to be cool, so this is a last-ditch attempt to relate to the youth.
And it’s helpful content.
DISCLAIMER: This blog post is not intended to encourage use of these terms in general conversation. I am not liable for any social awkwardness you may incur through the use or promotion of these terms. This post is intended for entertainment purposes only.
1.Fire
Yesterday, cool things were described as ‘lit’. Today, they’ve progressed to ‘fire’.
This expression is used to refer to something that is cool and impressive.
Example: That copy is fire.
2. Tea
Appropriated from drag queen culture, ‘tea’ refers to gossip. It’s the shortened version of the phrase ‘spill the tea’, which refers to the act of gossiping.
Because when someone tells you gossip, you spill your tea.
Because you’re shook.
You get me?
3. Boomer
Hah! You think you know what this means, but you’re wrong. To the young people of today, a ‘Boomer’ is just anyone older than them or anyone who expresses tired/outdated values and beliefs.
I’ve been called a Boomer and I’m two generations too young to qualify.
Go figure.
4. Shook
When you’re ‘shook’, you are shocked to your very core. Obviously this is used as hyperbole in any number of situations.
For example…
Captain America was shook when Thanos snapped half the world out of existence.
#ItsAMood
5. It’s a mood
‘It’s a mood' is a term used to describe something you find relatable.
It can be interchanged with ‘it’s a vibe’ or just ‘mood’.
For example, this cat is a mood…
6. Yikes
This means exactly what it always has. The difference is an increase in use.
It’s a nice, simple swap for favourite elderly people phrases like ‘oh shit’ and ‘oooh dang’.
You can level it up by saying ‘big yikes’.
7. Lowkey
Doing something in a chill or subtle way. Like, right now I am lowkey schooling you on slang. But we’re casual about it.
It’s a vibe, you know?
8. Snatched
When something is snatched, it’s on point. Usually this refers to an outfit or a makeup look, but it could be used for anything good. This is generally considered to be the evolved version of ‘on fleek’.
Emma, your blog post on slang is snatched.
9. Living for it
If you like something, and you think it’s good, you’re living for it. Let’s take an example from my real life:
Me: Trivium’s new single is snatched.
You: I know. I’m shooooook!
Another variant is: ‘[noun] is everything’. For example:
Trivium’s new single is everything.
10. Clapback
In the olden days, we would have called this ‘holla back’. It refers to the act of giving a quick, spicy, and effective response to criticism.
Example: I called Sarah problematic on Insta and she posted a clapback.
11. Spicy
This particular piece of slang is falling out of favour, but it’s still a fun one to know. It means that something is a little bit feisty.
You might describe your current mood as being ‘spicy’ because you’re all keyed up and raring to go.
This word can be levelled up by way of Jim Carrey’s The Mask…
12. Stan
What’s great about ‘stan’ is that it’s a collective noun, a singular noun and a verb. When you ‘stan’ something, you’re an obsessive super fan of it. You can also describe fan groups as ‘stans’.
The term comes from the Eminem song of the same name. Examples of usage can include:
You stan this blog post.
I’m an Adam Driver stan.
K-Pop stans are problematic.